Articles by Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director
Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD, MPH, is associate director of the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and the Associate Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training Program of Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital. In addition, she provides clinical care to children, adolescents, and families in the Child Outpatient Clinic and continues to teach and supervise fellows, residents, and medical students. To learn more about Khadijah, or to contact her directly, please see Our Team.
What Can States Do to Support Youth Mental Health? feat. Senator John C. Velis
January 18, 2024
What Can States Do to Support Youth Mental Health? feat. Senator John C. Velis
To address the youth mental health crisis, we need to approach it from different angles – including access, education, and legislation. So, what are states doing to make a difference? Tune in below, or wherever you stream! Today, Gene and Khadijah are joined by special guest Senator John C. Velis of Massachusetts. Senator Velis shines […]
Stimulants! Myths, Misconceptions & Managing the Shortage, feat. Anthony Rostain, MD, MA – Shrinking It Down
December 20, 2023
Stimulants! Myths, Misconceptions & Managing the Shortage, feat. Anthony Rostain, MD, MA – Shrinking It Down
What role should prescription stimulants play in a child’s ADHD treatment plan? Tune in below, or wherever you stream. Today, Gene and Khadijah are joined by Tony Rostain, MD, MA, chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Cooper University Health Care, to discuss this and more. How do you talk to your child about stimulants? […]
Lonely College Students: What Can We Do to Help? – Shrinking It Down
November 16, 2023
Lonely College Students: What Can We Do to Help? – Shrinking It Down
Recent national surveys show that a significant proportion of college students report having felt overwhelmed, anxious, and lonely during college. If college is supposed to be the “best years of your life” then why are so many students lonely? That’s what Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins dive into today: what’s contributing to […]
Fears & Phobias in Kids, feat. Susan Sprich, PhD – Shrinking It Down
October 23, 2023
Fears & Phobias in Kids, feat. Susan Sprich, PhD – Shrinking It Down
Fears and phobias are not the same thing. All of us have fears – kids and adults alike. Many of us even enjoy a good scare now and again (there’s a reason why horror movies do so well). And most fears in our children – real or imagined – eventually respond to reassurance, emotional calming, […]
Coping With Gun Violence, Together, feat. Gretchen Felopulos, PhD (Shrinking It Down)
June 15, 2023
Coping With Gun Violence, Together, feat. Gretchen Felopulos, PhD (Shrinking It Down)
With increasing gun violence and constant media coverage, many kids are scared to go to concerts, to malls, to school. Tune in below, or search for “Shrinking It Down” wherever you get your podcasts. Many adults are feeling the same – coping with gun violence can be paralyzing. Today, special guest Gretchen Felopulos, PhD, the […]
Autism: Making the Transition to College, feat. Chris Keary, MD
May 18, 2023
Autism: Making the Transition to College, feat. Chris Keary, MD
Starting college for the first time can be a big deal for all kids, but for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder there’s even more to consider for making it a smooth transition. As parents, how do we provide the best support? How involved should we be? Special guest Dr. Christopher Keary of the MGH Lurie […]
Digital Vigilance and Our Kids
April 20, 2023
Digital Vigilance and Our Kids
We’ve reached a point in time where most of our kids have grown up with digital media as a way of life. Social media, instant viral news, e-learning, digital surveillance – it’s all here to stay. And it’s not all bad. But there are some legitimate concerns about how it’s impacting the mental health and […]
How Should We Respond to Anxiety in Our Kids? feat. Kevin Simon, MD
March 16, 2023
How Should We Respond to Anxiety in Our Kids? feat. Kevin Simon, MD
Anxiety. Unhealthy levels are rising in our kids and teens. What can we do to help them? On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah are joined by very special guest Dr. Kevin Simon, the first Chief Behavioral Health Officer for the City of Boston, to help make sense […]
Understanding Obesity Stigma, feat. Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA
February 16, 2023
Understanding Obesity Stigma, feat. Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA
We often hear about how stigma can prevent appropriate treatment for mental disorders and promote feelings of shame or low self-worth among those struggling with their mental health. Did you know the same is true for obesity? Obesity is a complex disease, and stigma prevents us from understanding what it actually is and how it […]
Dr. Gene and Dr. Khadijah Answer Your Questions – Shrinking It Down
January 19, 2023
Dr. Gene and Dr. Khadijah Answer Your Questions – Shrinking It Down
From challenges with hair pulling to supporting a child through a regression in toilet training, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins answer real parent questions in this episode. For each question, they offer clinical insight to help parents better understand what might be going on, and suggestions for next steps and ways to […]
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